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BANJUL. — As part of cost-cutting in government expenditure, a category of Gambian civil servants have been instructed to fly economy class, the Information Minister Demba Ali Jawo has disclosed.

According to him, the decision was part of the outcome of a cabinet meeting that was held on Monday. The affected appointees are Permanent Secretaries and persons holding the post of Director-General. The said meeting chaired by President Adama Barrow, also dealt with issues such as continental trade negotiations and the drive to resolve the country’s energy challenges by next year.

He also gave updates of how the finance minister was working on a budgetary framework to deal with controls on governance expenditure. Whiles looking to cut cost, the cabinet he added was also looking to boost resource mobilisation in the West African country. The country, known as the “Smiling Coast” of Africa experienced a tense political climate late 2016 into early 2017 when long serving leader, Yahya Jammeh, attempted to overturn an election defeat. He was beaten by President Barrow — then an opposition coalition candidate. — Africa News.